Syringe structure



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SYRINGE STRUCTURE Norman D. Helmer, Long Beach, and Fre d H. Easton, Garden Grove, Calif.; said Helmer asslgnor to said Easton 3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-218) The. present invention relates generally toA dispensing devices, and more particularly to an improved multiple dosage syringe that automatically indicates when each of a number of doses of predetermined volume has been dispensed therefrom. The present application is a continuation-in-part of our Patent No. 2,764,981 entitled, Multiple Dosage Syringe, which issued October 2, 1956, and is a division of pending application entitled, Syringe Structure, tiled in the United States Patent Oice January 13, 1956 under Serial No. 558,971. v

In the dairy industry, cows frequently are infected by mastitis, a disease which is combated by the injection of certain fluid materials into the teats by means of av syringe. yA present-day practice in marketing such fluid materials is to package four disposable syringes'iilled therewith in a suitable box, with each syringe being discarded after use. Such disposable syringes are normally formed of a synthetic plastic material such as polyethylene, or the like.

Disposable syringes of the character described are convenient to use and assure that but a predetermined quantity of uid material will be administered as a dose. However, one very real disadvantage of such disposable syringes resides in the fact that the dosage cost to the dairyman is unduly high.

y'l'he primary purpose in devising thev present invention is to provide a disposable syringe'that is not only as convenient to use as previously available plastic devices, but one that provides a lower per dose cost to the dairyman in that the cost of each syringe is prorated over four doses rather than one.

A major object of the present invention is to furnish a multiple dosage syringe that automatically indicates when a dose of predetermined volume has been dispensed therefrom, and one that in structure is but slightly more complicated than the structure of those disposable syringes employed heretofore in the administration of single doses.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a multiple dosage syringe that so operates asto impart a signal to the feel of the user that a dose of predetermined volume has been dispensed therefrom in the dark or in poorly illuminated areas.

A further object of the invention is to supply a syringe that permits multiple doses of any desired number to be discharged therefrom by simple manual operations on the part of the user.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a multiple dose syringe that lowers the per dose cost of the uid material dispensed thereby to the extent that this mode of administration will create an ever'increasing demand therefor.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a syringe, the use of which is directed toward the dairy industry, but which is equally adapted for use in the human field, by merely replacing the used needle with a sterilized needle each time a dose is administered.

These and other objects and advantages of .the invenl States Patent 2 tion will become apparent from the following description of a rst and certain alternate forms thereof, and from the drawing illustrating same in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a first form of the invention; l

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the.

plunger used in the first form of the invention showing one of the dosage-indicating devices mounted thereon;r

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a second form of dosage-indicating device; and

Figure 4 is a longitudinally extending vertical crossforwardly in barrel A by means of plunger B, uid contained in the barrel is discharged `through a suitable projecting tubular member or hollow needle C. In structure, barrel A includes an elongate tubular shell that is provided with an outwardly extending ring.

shaped flange 112 situated on the rearward end thereof.

The forward end portionof shell 100 tapers inwardly.

to develop into a short tube 114, on the exterior surface of which threads are formed.

The rear end'of tubular member C terminates in a nut 116 which is adapted to removably engage and be supported on the threaded tube 114. When nut 116 and tube 114 are so engaged,fbarrel A and member C are held together as a rigid integral unit.

The plunger B, as may best be seen in Figure 1, includes a piston 120 that is slidably mounted within the confines of shell 100, and is sufficiently long to project from the shell, even when piston l120 is at its forwardmost position therein. Plunger B (Figures l and 2),

is defined by four normally disposed legs 124, 126, 128 and 130. The rear extremity of plunger B terminates in a transversely positioned handle 132 that is preferably in shape of an annular plate, but may take any desired configuration.

Leg has a number of longitudinally spaced, downwardly extending recesses 144 formed therein, with each recessed portion being adapted to slidably receive an inverted U-shaped stop 146. Stop 146 is formed with two downwardly extending legs 148 and 150 which are connected by a web 152. Web 152 projects upwardly above leg 130 to the extent that the forward face of the web contacts flange 112 whenplunger B is advanced forwardly to discharge a dose of medicament from the device. A dose of medicament can only be discharged from barrel A by removing the forwardmost stop 146 from its position on plunger B. Removal of stop 146 is a simple operation, and'is achieved by merely flipping or slipping the U-shaped stop from its mounted position in the recess 144. The number of stops that are removed as the stops are advanced forwardly toward flange 112 determines the quantity of medicament that can be discharged from tubular member C.

A second form of the invention is shown in Figure 3 which differs from the first form only in lthe structure and design of the plunger E. Plunger E is of the same generally elongate shape as plunger B, and is formed from four normally disposed legs 124a, 126e, 128a and 130:1. Leg 13011 has a number of longitudinally spaced transverse bores formed therein, and each bore is of such size as to snugly support a transversely positioned pin 142. Each pin 142 is suiciently long as to extend outwardly far enough from leg 130a to permit forward Patented Oct. 21, 1958 movement of plunger E. When it is desired to discharge a dose` of"medicanient'A from the invention; theD forwardmost pin 142 is slidably removed from its supporting bore 140 by the .use of the thumb or forengen.

and the plunger'E then advanced"totdisehargethe dose:

Each pink 142 isv sli'd'ably removed from' the bores as above mentioned, with the numberof doses ofY medica'- ment discharged fromtubularmember C. inA practice,

each bore 140 may have a pin 142 removably mounted' therein, or a single'pin 142 canV be'providedwhich' in turn is successively disposed iireach bore as plunger B is advanced forwardly; It wil1`be apparent that irrespective of whether Vene or a` number of'fpins' T42' are used, successive dosesl ofpredeterminedA volume canlbe discharged at will fromthe invention', This second form of theV invention differs' primarily from the' rst form thereof in'that legA 13021 can bel fabricated' from' a rigid plastic material rather than one embodyingtheresilient" characteristics requiredin the first formof the device:

A third form of the invention is' showniin'Figure 4l This'form of the deviceis identical to the first formother than it includes a plunger G that' is formed from four normally disposed legs 12411, 12617, 12811', and 130]). Groups of longitudinally spaced,A vertically aligned slots `154 are formed in these legs, with each group of slots" being adapted to removably supporta resilientliand'. 156, as shown in Figure 4. When"disp'osedi11oneofV the groups of slots 154, band 156 impedes forward movement ofplunger G by contacting the rear face of flange 122, thus limiting the dosage dispensed to a' predetermined quantity. However, when suicient pressurei's exerted on plunger G, the resilient band is displaced from slot 154 in which it is 'positioned and"rolled"bacl i vention can be varied, and particularly the transverse cross--sectionof the plunger, whichmay becircular orother desired configuration.

Although the forms of the invention herein shown and described are fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that they are merely examples of the present embodiments-thereof and that we do not mean tobezlimited to the details of construction herein shownv and described.` otherk than as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A. multipler dosage huid-holding syringe, comprising: an elongate barrel; fluid discharge meansmounted on one end of said barrel and in communication with the interior thereof; a piston slidably mounted in said barrel; a plunger securedto said piston and projecting outwardly from said barrelffrom the end thereofsopposite that on; which said fluid discharge meansis-V mounted, said plunger having; a plurality of longitudinally, spaced, transversely positionedy bores formed therein; andstopmeans capable` of' being; removably supported in.v saidl bores, with said stopv means beingof'such length as to consecutively contact the endof said barrel to'limit1-the movement? ofsaidplunger and piston toward; saidfdischarge means until` the contactinglone ofsaid. stop,r meansis manually removed from said b'ore inwhich it is disposed,

2.xArmultiple dosage syringe as defined. in-claii'n-:l wherein said stop means is atleast oneelongate member that can be manuallydisposed in any one of said bores..

3; A multiple dosage syringe as defined in claixrry 1; whereinsaid stop; means isal plurality of elongate members-mounted insaid bores.

References:Citedd in the4 file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,373,520 Wallin Apr. 10;.1945f 2,474,496 Rayman a June 28, 1949' 2,571,653 Bastien a Oct'. 163.1951' 2,578,812 Kollsman Dec. 18;,1951' 2,607,343 Sarver Aug;I 19, 1952i. 2,629,517 Slobinl Febty 24; 11953 2,707,954V Kas,v Sr ,May'10,219552 ein 

